TCM Schedule for Thursday, August 2 -- Summer Under The Stars: Myrna Loy

[Staph]

It's the second day of Summer Under the Stars, and we get to celebrate Myrna Loy on her birthday! She was born Myrna Adele Williams on August 2, 1905, in Radersburg, Montana. In 1918, her father died during the great flu epidemic, and Myrna and her family moved to Los Angeles. A lifelong Democrat, in 1960 she campaigned for John F. Kennedy. Later she did battle with Californian Governor Ronald Reagan over open-housing legislation and for years afterward was a vigorous member of the National Committee Against Discrimination in Housing. And she was a damn good actress, too! Enjoy!


6:00 AM -- The Great Divide (1929)
73 min, TV-G
A businessman masquerades as a bandit to kidnap a flapper and end her reckless days.
Dir: Reginald Barker
Cast: Dorothy Mackaill, Ian Keith, Myrna Loy

Released in both a sound and a silent version, allowing it to be distributed to theaters not yet equipped with sound systems.


7:15 AM -- The Naughty Flirt (1931)
56 min, TV-G
A flighty heiress goes to work as a secretary to win the straitlaced man she loves.
Dir: Edward Cline
Cast: Alice White, Paul Page, Myrna Loy

Completed in mid-1930, reviewed in Photoplay Magazine October 1930 (on the newstands in September), and copyrighted in December 1930, release was delayed until January 1931.


8:15 AM -- The Barbarian (1933)
84 min, TV-PG
An Arab prince masquerades as a tour guide to court a beautiful American.
Dir: Sam Wood
Cast: Ramon Novarro, Myrna Loy, Reginald Denny

Myrna Loy wrote in her autobiography that she was wearing a flesh-tinted body suit in the supposed nude scene.


9:45 AM -- When Ladies Meet (1933)
85 min, TV-G
A female novelist doesn't realize her new friend is the wife whose husband she's trying to steal.
Dir: Harry Beaumont
Cast: Ann Harding, Robert Montgomery, Myrna Loy

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Art Direction -- Cedric Gibbons

Remade in 1941 with Joan Crawford as Mary (the Myrna Loy role), Greer Garson as Claire (Ann Harding), and Robert Taylor as Jimmy (Robert Montgomery).


11:15 AM -- The Prizefighter And The Lady (1933)
102 min, TV-G
A boxing champion falls for a gangster's moll.
Dir: W. S. Van Dyke
Cast: Myrna Loy, Max Baer, Primo Carnera

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Writing, Original Story -- Frances Marion

In an interview, Myrna Loy stated that Max Baer carefully watched Primo Carnera's boxing style during the filming and used this information to beat him in their real-life match for the title in March, 1934.


1:00 PM -- Libeled Lady (1936)
98 min, TV-G
When an heiress sues a newspaper, the editor hires a reporter to compromise her.
Dir: Jack Conway
Cast: Jean Harlow, William Powell, Myrna Loy, Spencer Tracy

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture

Reportedly, while shooting the movie, the four stars had become close friends, and William Powell even gave up his old habit of hiding out in his dressing room between scenes so he could join in the fun with the rest of the cast. One of the biggest jokes was a running gag Spencer Tracy played on Myrna Loy, claiming that she had broken his heart with her recent marriage to producer Arthur Hornblow Jr. He even set up an "I Hate Hornblow" table in the studio commissary, reserved for men who claimed to have been jilted by Loy.


2:40 PM -- Myrna Loy (1962)
4 min


2:45 PM -- Wife vs. Secretary (1936)
88 min, TV-G
A secretary becomes so valuable to her boss that it jeopardizes his marriage.
Dir: Clarence Brown
Cast: Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, Myrna Loy

The name of one of the screenwriters, Alice Duer Miller, is seen as the author of an article in a magazine, and Clark Gable remarks, "Hey, Alice has written a very nice article here."


4:15 PM -- The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947)
95 min, TV-G
A teenage girl's crush on a playboy spells trouble, particularly when he falls for her older sister.
Dir: Irving Reis
Cast: Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, Shirley Temple

Won an Oscar for Best Writing, Original Screenplay -- Sidney Sheldon

Myrna Loy was almost twenty-three years older than her on-screen sister Shirley Temple.


6:00 PM -- Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948)
94 min, TV-G
A New York businessman's dream of a country home is shattered when he buys a tumbledown rural shack.
Dir: H. C. Potter
Cast: Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, Melvyn Douglas

The house "Blandings' Way" really exists on Indian Hill Road in New Milford, Connecticut. It's a beautiful huge white art deco/colonial house that has many of the actual rooms discussed in the movie - such as a room to cut flowers. Also less than a mile away on Long Mountain Road is executive producer of the movie and MGM head Dore Schary's old country home.


7:48 PM -- Jan Savitt And His Band (1946)
10 min
A "Melody Masters" short featuring the Jan Savitt Band and vocalists Shirley Van, Bob Arthur and Helen Warren.
Dir: Jack Scholl
Cast: Jan Savitt, Robert Arthur, Shirley Van

The soundtrack includes "I'll Always Love You" -- music by Jay Livingston, "Some Sunday Morning" -- music by M.K. Jerome and Ray Heindorf and lyrics by Ted Koehler, "Too Marvelous for Words" -- music by Richard A. Whiting, "Dearest Darling" -- written by Richard Robertson (as Dick Robertson), Frank Weldon and James Cavanaugh, and "Avalon" -- music by Vincent Rose.



TCM PRIMETIME - WHAT'S ON TONIGHT: SUMMER UNDER THE STARS: MYRNA LOY



8:00 PM -- The Best Years Of Our Lives (1946)
170 min, TV-PG
Three returning servicemen fight to adjust to life after World War II.
Dir: William Wyler
Cast: Myrna Loy, Fredric March, Dana Andrews

Won an Honorary Oscar Award for Harold Russell -- for bringing hope and courage to his fellow veterans through his appearance in The Best Years of Our Lives.

Won Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Fredric March (Fredric March was not present at the awards ceremony. Cathy O'Donnell accepted the award on his behalf.), Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- Harold Russell, Best Director -- William Wyler, Best Film Editing -- Daniel Mandell, Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture -- Hugo Friedhofer, Best Writing, Screenplay -- Robert E. Sherwood, and Best Picture

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Sound, Recording -- Gordon Sawyer (Samuel Goldwyn SSD)

During the wedding scene at the end, Harold Russell fluffed his lines during his vows. Rather than calling cut and ordering a re-take, William Wyler liked how natural it sounded and this was the take used.


11:00 PM -- The Thin Man (1934)
91 min, TV-G
A husband-and-wife detective team takes on the search for a missing inventor and almost get killed for their efforts.
Dir: W. S. Van Dyke
Cast: William Powell, Myrna Loy, Maureen O'Sullivan

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- William Powell, Best Director -- W.S. Van Dyke, Best Writing, Adaptation -- Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, and Best Picture

The title does not refer to Nick Charles (William Powell), but to the murder victim (Edward Ellis). Audiences and critics alike kept referring to Nick Charles as "the Thin Man", so subsequent films kept the name.


12:45 AM -- Cheaper by the Dozen (1950)
C-86 min, TV-G
A pioneering efficiency expert tests his theories on his large family.
Dir: Walter Lang
Cast: Clifton Webb, Jeanne Crain, Myrna Loy

On the shelf in the living room is a picture of the real life Frank Gilbreth in uniform as an Army Major during WWI. This is visible outside the makeshift operating room during the mass tonsillectomies.


2:15 AM -- Penthouse (1933)
89 min, TV-G
The mob frames a lawyer for murder, so he enlists a call girl's help in finding the real killer.
Dir: W. S. Van Dyke
Cast: Warner Baxter, Myrna Loy, Charles Butterworth

Remade as Society Lawyer (1939), starring Walter Pidgeon, Virginia Bruce, and Leo Carillo.


4:00 AM -- Test Pilot (1938)
119 min, TV-G
An irresponsible test pilot's wife and best friend try to get him to grow up.
Dir: Victor Fleming
Cast: Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, Spencer Tracy

Nominated for Oscars for Best Film Editing -- Tom Held, Best Writing, Original Story -- Frank Wead, and Best Picture

Reportedly Myrna Loy's personal favorite movie of all her films.

[CBHagman]

1. It's Myrna Loy! YES!

Last edited Wed Aug 1, 2012, 09:43 AM - Edit history (1)

Aside from her talent and elegance (and great legacy of watchable classic movies), she puts us all in our happy place, politically speaking.

Edited to add photo (This is for you, lavenderdiva!).

[Auggie]

2. Libeled Lady -- classic screwball comedy with a great cast